Officials with the Ohio Department of Public Safety looked high and low for documented models of successful government technology projects and found virtually nothing to inspire them when they started the project in 2007. When they finished their work in 2012, they wrote a brief look back at the experience.

The flying pig reference in the paper's title comes from the comment by a discouraged project team member who "believed the task to be so overwhelming and impossible that 'pigs would fly' before this project was completed," the report said.

Later, as the group notched incremental wins and gained competency and confidence, the flying pig became a mascot and a symbol of pride.

With just 400 to 450 words for our weekly State Worker column, much of what we learn each week never sees print. Column Extras give you some of the notes, the quotes, the documents and the observations that inform what's published.

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About The State Worker

The Author

Jon Ortiz launched The State Worker blog and a companion column in 2008 to cover state government from the perspective of California government employees. Every day he filters the news through a single question: "What does this mean for state workers?" Join Ortiz for updates and debate on state pay, benefits, pensions, contracts and jobs. Contact him at (916) 321-1043 and at jortiz@sacbee.com.

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